Open Door Presbyterian | TICI Case Study

The Thriving Immigrant Congregations Initiative (TICI) of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) aims to enable and equip immigrant churches to develop healthy intergenerational and intercultural relationships within immigrant churches so that they might thrive as spiritual and missional communities of faith. Below is the story of Open Door Presbyterian Church (ODPC), which has served as a case study in our learning journey. We are especially grateful to Rev. Paul Kim, a TEDS alumnus (MDiv and ThM), and Pastor John Cha, who have served as congregational consultants and have been instrumental in these efforts. Learn More about TICI.

On January 1, 1984, two dozen Korean immigrant families crammed together in the living rooms of two homes. Opening with silent prayer and a hymn in Korean, these families began their first Sunday worship as an immigrant church. The first-generation (FG) leadership took the opportunity at this first service to describe their direction and values as a church. Seeking to uphold its ethnic roots and doctrinal heritage, the church adopted its first and original name, the Korean Orthodox Presbyterian Church (KOPC). So began the story of the church.

Through the faithful ministry of dedicated youth and college pastors, God eventually raised and equipped the emerging second-generation (SG) English-speaking college group. After several years, KOPC moved to its own 200-seat building in 1991 in McLean, VA. It was here that Pastor Paul Kim joined the church as an interim senior pastor and soon became the permanent senior pastor of the FG Korean-speaking congregation and of the entire church. Through the vision and guidance of Pastor Paul Kim, the leadership decided to take their journey as a church together as two interdependent, intergenerational bodies. In 1998, Pastor John became the SG lead pastor.

In 2000, KOPC began to forge its direction and intergenerational ties through missions. The church – FG and SG together – sent out its first two families to Central Asia and also began creating missions teams consisting of members from the FG, SG, and the youth group (or the third-generation – TG). God seemed to be blessing all these intergenerational missions endeavors.

Then, a crucial watershed moment came when the church decided to move to the current campus in Herndon, VA, in 2001 together. Up until now, both congregations had grown together (though meeting apart), but the dynamics of the congregations were viewed mostly through the lens of a “model.” Much of the interdependent, intergenerational dreams were still unrealized and unmapped. But now, this decision to move would solidify the future and the investment in this relationship. Money would be spent. Long-term commitments would be made. There would be no turning back. As a testimony to God’s grace, after the decision was made to move together, the church grew the most – both in number and in health.

Finding itself now in Herndon, a neighborhood where 51% were non-Korean minorities, the church sought to live out its calling to be salt and light. And so, in 2002, under the oversight of Pastor Paul and the FG elders, the church officially adopted its new name, Open Door Presbyterian Church (ODPC).

In 2004, the entire church went through a vision casting process and agreed to adopt their current vision to be an open door to a life-changing grace. This vision was revolutionary for the church. All the various ministries, congregations, and generations rallied around this banner of God’s grace – yet each congregation pursued this vision in their own respective cultural setting and generational context. A few years later, in 2006, ODPC developed a definition of the interdependent, intergenerational model 1:2:1 – one vision, two households, one family.

In April 2009, the SG pledged towards constructing a 500+ seat church building on the Herndon campus, 200 meters away from the FG building. The SG and FG would continue together as one church but would pursue this in different ways and in different settings – 1:2:1! Today, ODPC is a large and growing family with an SG congregation of 500 adults, growing alongside an FG of 2000 and a TG of 700 young children and 400 junior and senior high youth.

Naturally, this story is far from over. Yet, the members and congregations of Open Door are filled with anticipation. Despite the many intergenerational challenges, hurdles, and uncertainties, the congregations trust in God to work through the generations. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the FG, SG, and TG. He is the God who holds the life and the purpose of the church in His hands. “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11